scott



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Se IQ Dob w. J. SCOTT & H. W. SHONNARD. INTERGHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN.

(Ne Model.)

% WITNESSES (No Model.) 4 Sheefis-Sheet 2.

W. J. SCOTT &- H. W. SHONNARD.

INTERGHANGEABLB ELECTRIC SIGN.

No. 567,924. Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

WITNESSES. '//Vl/E/VTORS walfir J $0013? [I]. J/zonnard A I'TOR/VEYS.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a.

W. J. SCOTT &'H. W. SHONNARD.

INTERCHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN.

No. 567,924. Patented Sept. 15,1896.

W/T/VESSES:

lNVE/VTORS 17. 500%? gt :0. ,Sbnmr AUOH/VEYS.

4 SheetsSheet 4.

W. J. SGOT T & H] WISHONNARD.

INTEROHANGEABLE ELEUTRIG 'SIGN-' No. 567,924. Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

(No Model.)

l JLL Ji L "ma NORRIS vuzas c0, Wowu'mo v wAsnmmon. a c.

" UNITE mm VALTER JUDD SCOTT AND HAROLD TV. SHONNARD, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

INTERCHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters lat ent Nd. 567,924, dated September 15,1896. Application filed May 22, 1896. Serial No. 592,534.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concerm:

Be it known that we, WALTER J UDD SCOTT and HAROLD W. SHONNARD, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Interchangeable Electric Signs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide an electric sign composed of groupings of electric incandescent lamps arranged to form letters or figures which are so constructed and arranged as to be interchangeable and capable of being assembled in an automatic, or semiautomatic way by suitable mechan-' ical devices, so as to exhibit word-signs of varying import for the public announcement of news or advertisements.

It consists in the construction and arrangement of a reservoir-wheel for holding the letters or type and delivering them to and re ceiving them from the visual sign-board or display-frame, and also in the construction and arrangement of the latter and its combination with said reservoir-wheel, as will be hereinafter fully described with reference to the drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the entire device. Fig. 2 is a detail of the back side of one and a part of another of the letter-plates shown in relation to their actuating chain belt. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the reservoir-wheel and itsframe. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the display-frame.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, and Fig. 6 a sectional plan, of the letter-holding devices of the sign. Fig.7 is a plan of the end; and Fig. 8 a cross-section through line 8 8, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a partial end view of the reservoir-wheel, and Fig. 10 a detail of the same in perspective.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, the reservoir-wheel and its operating devices are shown on the right and the display-frame and its operating devices on the left, the two being shown in proper juxtaposition for cooperation.

D D are vertical guideways of a frame like that of an ordinary elevator-shaft, in which is adjusted vertically the cage or skeleton frame 0, that carries the reservoir-wheel A for holding the types or letters, which C011.

sist each of a plate with, incandescent lamps grouped thereon to form various letters, characters, and figures.

i To raise or lower the wheel-frame so as to bring its letter-receptacles in. line with the guide-channels of the display-frame, it is suspended by a cord F, passing over pulleys F F and extending down to and wound upon a drum F, by turning whose crank the wheel may be adjusted vertically.

The wheel A is mounted upon and rigidly attached to a horizontal shaft B, journaled in the adjustable frame, 0. This wheel has at one end a rigid hub b,'having radial spokes a connecting with a circular rim a, and near its middle has 'a slidinghub b moving longitudinally on the shaft and connected by a series of jointed radial links a with a series of frames arranged around the periphery of the wheel and composed each of two parallel guide-bars a a, connected together and pivotedeach at a to the rigid peripheral rim a" of the wheel. At the opposite end of the wheel there is a head a, whose huh I) is rgiidly attached to shaft 13 This shaft is also made hollow, and has a slide-rod A in it with a handle on its outer end and an outturned or right-angular bend (L15 on its'inner end, which passes through a slot in the shaft and enters a groove in the inner periphery of the sliding hub b so that by pushing the rod A in the links a are made to throw the letterholding frames a a into the position shown, forming a conical surface converging to the left, in which the letter-plates L at the top part of the wheel have a tendency to slide from gravity out of the wheel. \Vhen, however, the rod A is pulled out, the hub 11 and links a draw the free ends of the frames toward the center and bring them against the head a so as to reverse the taper, as shown and characters, and each frame is supplied, as shown, with five of these letter-plates L, all of the same letter, in order to provide for the repeated use of the same letter in making up various compositions of signs. Each letter-holder a (6 has a pivoted latch a, one of whose prongs extends inwardly and engages with a pin a on the end letter-plate to hold the letter-plates in place against accidentally falling out of the wheel, and the other prong of which is adapt-ed to be acted upon by a double-incline cam-shaped latch-lifter M, Fig. 10, to release a letter-plate when it is to be delivered into the sign.

We will now describe the construction and arrangement of the sign-board or displayframe shown in Fig. 4 and also 011 the left of Fig. 1. This frame is composed of a series of horizontal guide-bars to receive the letterplates when they are assembled into words and sentences, and into which they are delivered by the reservoir-wheel. These guidebars are arranged in pairs G G, G G and G G which, as shown, form three rows of letters, but which may, of course, be multiplied indefinitely. These guide-bars are ri idly connected together, so as to be held in horizontal and parallel position, and are sustained upon a vertical central standard M, rising from a turn-table M, which is mounted by antifriction-rollers upon a base or table M This turn-table M is rotated about its vertical axis by a belt M from a motor M so as to swing the display-frame or sign round and round, presenting its face to view from all positions. The mast or standard M may be of any length to give the sign any desired elevation. To more the letter-plates into and out of the guide-bars G G, &c., an endless chain H, Figs. 4 to 8, is supplied for each channel-way, passing along the edges of the two guide-bars and crossing vertically at the ends around small pulleys 71, 7t h 77.. These chains are rotated in either direction by sprocket-wheels m, Figs. 5 and 6, carried by the standard m, and these sprocket-wheels are turned by wormqvheels m on their shafts from worms m on a vertical shaft m which extend sthrou gh the bottom of the turn-table, and by a universal joint m is connected to a shaft m which at its lower end is to be provided with a hand-wheel or crank-handle by which it may be rotated in either direction. To stay the mast or standard M, guy-wires m connect its top to the outer edge of the turntable. The open ends of the channels between the guideways G G, &c., are arranged in close proximity to the wheels frame D D, and the passage of the letter-plates from the reservoir-wheel to the display-frame, or vice versa, is effected as follows: Each letter-plate L has its lamps l arranged. in the proper form to make a letter, figure, or character. (See Fig. 2.) At the top of the plate is a pin a and at the bottom of the plate there is at one corner a pin Z and at the other a right-angular pawl Z, resting upon a pin Z and having its horizon tally-projecting end beveled. This pawl of its own gravity rests upon the pin Z with its lower end engaged with the links of chain H, and just beside it is another gravity-pawl Z which operates in an opposite di rection. hen this chain is traveling from right to left, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 2, the chain catches pawl l and drags the plate L with it until the beveled end of its horizontal arm strikes the pin Z of the adjacent plate L, which contact raises pawl Z out of gear with the chain H, so that after a letterplate has been set this pawl affords no 0bstruction to the continued passage of the chain I-I. \Vhen the plates are to be withdrawn and the chain H is moved in the opposite direction, pawl Z rides over the chain and is inactive and the pawl Z engages the chain and causes the letter-plate to be moved with the chain in the reverse direction.

For delivering the letter-plates from the wheel to the channels of the display-frame, this is effected as follows: \Vhen any letterplate is to be delivered into a channel of the display-frame the frame 0 of the reservoir-wheel is adjusted vertically by the cord F and Windlass F until the top letter-plate holder is in line with that channel. As shown in Fig. 3,the holder of the wheel bearing the letter-plates A is in line with the lower channel between guide-rails G G and then the latch a being lifted by contact with the latch-lifter a Fig. 10, a plate slides by gravity into the channel of the sign and is e11- gaged by its chain. To take letters out of the sign, the holder at a at the top of the wheel is tilted in a reverse direction by the sliderod A and the letters then are delivered from the chain H of the channel into the holder and slide by gravity into the same. In order that it may be known when any particular series of letters are in line with a channel, there is an indicator arranged at a convenient place on the shaft E, that will indicate this fact, and for this purpose the shaft E, Fig. 3, has a bevel-gear E engaging with a bevel-gear E on an axis at right angles th ereto, and to this beveled gear is attached an index-hand e, which points to a corresponding letter on the dial-face 8 whenever the corresponding letter-plate is in line with the sign-channels. It will be understood that along the guide-rails G G &c., are arranged the two electric wires that lead the current from a dynamo to the lamps, and one pole of each lamp is connected to a plate that con tacts with one of these wires, and the other pole of each lamp is connected to another plate that connects with the other wire whenever the letter-plates are set up in the sign. The terminals of these contacts are shown at Z and Z of Fig. 5. To permit the letters to pass from the reservoir-wheel into the guidechannels of the display-frame, the carryingchains H are deflected slightly to oneside at the entering end by means of rollers h IF, as seen in Figs. 7' and 8.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. An interchangeable electric sign comprising a reservoirwheel bearing the different letters, &c. composed of incandescent lamps, a sign board or frame having parallel channels for the letters, means for adjusting the Wheel and sign to each other, and means for rotating the wheel and delivering the letters to or receiving them from the sign substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. An interchangeable electric sign comprisinga reservoir-wheel bearing the different letters, &c. composed of incandescent lamps, a sign board or frame having parallel channels for the letters &c. means for adjusting the wheel and the sign to each other, means for rotating the wheel and delivering the letters &c. to or receiving them from the wheel, and an indicator below the wheel for determining the registration of any letter-holder with the sign-channels substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. An interchangeable electric sign comprising a reservoir-wheel bearing the different letters &c. composed of incandescent lamps, a sign board or frame having parallel channels for the letters &c. means for bringing the sign-channels and the letter-holders of the wheel into registration, and means for rotating the sign about a vertical axis substantially as and for the purpose described.

4:. The reservoir-wheel A consisting of a tubular shaft B with a slotin its side, arigid head a a fixed to said shaft, a peripheral series of letter-holders a a pivoted at one end to the rigid head, the rigid head a, and the intermediate sliding hub 19 with links a connecting to the letter-holders and an internal groove, and a slide-rod A arranged within the tubular shaft and having a right-angular end entering the groove of the sliding hub for adjusting the inclination of the letterholders substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the letter-holders a at having two-pronged latch-pawl a, the letter-plates L with pins a and the latchreleasing device a substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The letter-plate L having pin Z and pawls Z and 1 in combination with the carrier-chain H of the sign substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. An electric sign composed of parallel and horizontal guide-bars, endless chains traversing these guide-bars. Interchange- .able letters formed of incandescent lamps adjusted by these chains and means for actuating the chains substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. An electric sign composed of parallel and horizontal guide-bars forming channelways for letters &c. and bearing electric conductors with stationary contact-faces for each letter and interchangeable and adj nstable letters composed of incandescent electric lamps having their opposite poles connected to opposite plates adapted to make contact with the stationary contact-faces of the sign by which the current is supplied substantially as shown and described. I

9. The electric sign composed of guide-bars G G and carrier-chains l-I, interchangeable letters, the turn-table M with standard M bearing the sign, sprocket-wheels m, worms m and shaft m for rotating the chains and means for rotating the turn-table substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. The combination of the reservoir-Wheel A, its frame 0 with bevel-gears E E and turning-shaft E, the vertical guides D D, and the cord, pulleys and Windlass F ll F F for adjusting the wheel-cage substantially as and for the purpose described.

WALTER J UDD SCOTT. HAROLD W. SHONNARD. Witnesses for Walter Judd Scott:

HUGH CHARLES OREILLY, HENRY A. HENDERSON. lVitnesses for I-Iarold NV. Shonnard:

EDWARD WEBER, ERNEST MARX. 

